How Technology Can Help You Market, Recruit, and Retain Drivers

It’s no surprise that the CDL industry is in a bit of a rut. Thanks to a challenging public perception, a convoluted application process, and a lack of interest from the younger generation, it’s becoming harder and harder to find the right drivers and meet the growing demands of a burgeoning industry. While the challenges continue to stack up, there are also opportunities beginning to appear brought on by the rise of technology and a shift towards driver-first recruiting.

Here are three ways CDL driver recruiters can leverage technology to market, recruit, and retain drivers:

Brand and market your organization as a tech-first companyIn today’s online, tech-first environment, do you know how CDL drivers are finding and learning about new job opportunities? Part of being a tech-first company is knowing how your drivers think and meeting them where they spend the most time. There are a few best practices to marketing and branding your organization as a tech-first company:

Work with innovative third-party sites like Google for Jobs to increase brand recognition and attract new candidates.

Update and optimize website content so drivers can easily find your site, learn about your company, and understand the requirements of the position.

Add an easy-to-find ‘Apply Now’ button on your homepage, as well as on all your interior pages, so drivers can’t miss it.

Provide important company details (such as turnover rates, compensation, and equipment condition) or else drivers will feel you’re hiding something.

Create a streamlined, mobile-first application processFor most companies, the actual driver application process is where most leads go dark. While the trucking industry as a whole has an old-school, outdated persona, that is rapidly disappearing as drivers become more plugged-in and tech-savvy. Today’s drivers want an easy, to-the-point application process that is completely mobile-optimized and ready to go. They are also looking for:

A straightforward application process that doesn’t waste time asking repetitive, nonsense questions. Eliminate any required downloads or printing requirements (including for signatures) and shorten your application to the necessities.

Modern recruiter follow-ups that get rid of the phone tag in favor of more innovative communication solutions. Try out a text messaging follow-up solution as your first step of communication to increase response rates.

Human interaction is still key, even with this renewed focus on technology. As you move drivers through the recruiting lifecycle, prioritize in-person conversations through phone calls, video chats, and in-person interactions.

A feeling of respect and value is necessary. Because there is such a demand for drivers, it’s easy for recruiters to move quickly from one candidate to the next without establishing a personal relationship. Make sure you’re prioritizing every single lead and treating them like the valuable asset they are.

Make it easy for drivers to stay connected, even when they’re on the roadRetaining drivers is one of the biggest challenges facing today’s CDL driver recruiters and for good reason. CDL driving is a notoriously lonely profession, and the second a company starts receiving negative attention from drivers via social forums and word-of-mouth, things can go downhill fast. In the words of driver recruiting expert Dan Baker, “the best way to recruit drivers is to keep the ones you've got”. With that in mind, here are some ways technology can help drivers stay connected and engaged – even when they’re on the road:

Increase your social media presence and encourage new drivers to follow you on all platforms. Then, you can set up social contests with photos, likes, and shares to promote communication and collaboration between drivers. This can encourage drivers to feel connected with their fellow drivers and give them the sense of community that can often be lost on the road.

Create a communication schedule and stick to it. Set up regular face-to-face check-ins with drivers where they come into your HQ, sit down, and discuss any feedback or issues. Text or call drivers on a regular basis to just see how they’re doing and to chat about any professional or personal things coming up.

Send out newsletters that highlight organization-wide wins. Whether this is a monthly or a bi-annual update, it’s important to keep your drivers up-to-date on what’s going on with the company. Include things like company growth, new hires, and even personal wins, like birthdays, anniversaries, or new babies on the way.

Start building driver loyalty early in the recruiting process. Retention isn’t something you can just hope for. It takes work and focus, and with the right processes, you can introduce driver loyalty as a foundational pillar of your organization. Highlight drivers on your website, create a reference board for new recruits and keep track of where drivers are in the lifecycle so you can anticipate issues before they start.

Start winning at recruiting todayWith the right technology in place, your recruiting team can overcome the challenges of the CDL industry and see long-term, scalable success. DriverReach is the modern recruiting management solution for CDL recruiters to truly deliver a personal, driver-first approach to recruiting. Request your personal consultation today!

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